Polenta Mac and Cheese Bake

I still haven't come around to embracing any of the gluten free pastas but I adore polenta. Trader Joes stocks the prepared polenta rolls, in the scheme of things I guess prepared polenta is kind of overpriced for what it is but the convenience makes it an excellent thing to just keep a tube of around the kitchen. Also it doesn't need to be refrigerated prior to opening either.

This takes about 15-20 minutes to prep so its a super easy and delicious dish that can be served as a side or just a main meal comfort dinner.

Gluten Free Polenta Mac and Cheese Bake

• 1 Tube of prepared polenta
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 cup cheese (I used havarti and sharp cheddar)
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 slices Udi's Gluten free bread (I use the ends)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Cube polenta into bite size pieces and place into oven safe casserole dish. 

3. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in sauce pan. 

4. Mix corn starch into cold milk and add to sauce pan. 

5. Add you cheese, it should be grated so that it can melt easily. 

6. Cook over low heat till cheese it melted. At this point the sauce should be thick and cheesy but the corn starch that was in the milk with thicken it and cut the stringy nature of the cheese. 

7. Stir in the salt. 

8. Dump cheese sauce over the polenta pieces and stir so that all the cubes are coated. 


9. In food processor combine parmesan cheese, torn up slices of bread and 1 tablespoon butter. Process till combined.

10. Top cheese sauce covered polenta with bread crumb combination. 

11. Place into oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the bread crumbs on top are golden and crispy. 

12. Allow dish to cool just a bit before serving!

Enjoy! xoxo- Iris 

Eating 5 Days a Week!

Lately I've been posting a lot of things for those of you who are just becoming gluten free. As much as I love sharing my recipes I also know that for the other 5 days a week you just want to stay full, fed and healthy. So today's entry is an example of food planning for the week.

These are just some basic suggestions, I'm vegetarian so I've also made recommendations for proteins to accompany the dishes for those of who are not. Also I don't address desserts or sweets really here but its always good to have some chocolate, sorbet, gluten free cookies on hand during the week for when a craving hits.

MONDAY

BREAKFAST: Warm gluten free oatmeal with butter and brown sugar. 

LUNCH: Egg salad or tuna salad scoop on top of leafy green salad with vegetables of your selection.

SNACK:  cheese cubes, apple slices, almonds

DINNER: Steamed rice with stir fry of mixed vegetables seasoned with garlic, olive oil and italian spices, or go asian with it and add sesame oil, sriracha sauce, garlic and tamari sauce. Add tofu, chicken or other protein of your choice.

TUESDAY

BREAKFAST: scrambled eggs with salsa on a warmed corn tortilla with cheese and avocado. 

LUNCH: left over stir fry from prior night's dinner.

SNACK: hummus with vegetables and corn chips 

DINNER: Sauteed pre-cooked polenta topped with marina sauce and parmesan cheese. Add vegetables to your sauce or meat to make it just a bit heartier. Side salad.

WEDNESDAY

BREAKFAST: fresh fruit, berries, sliced bananas, or other seasonal fruit on top of greek yogurt with honey drizzled on top. 

LUNCH: Crustless quiche, side salad with vinaigrette.

SNACK: Olive topenade and feta mixed with olive oil, chopped garlic and paprika or pepper flakes, spread onto corn chips. Slices of cucumbers. 

DINNER: Smashed Potatoes, stuffed zucchini. Can be served with a protein for those of you who are meat eaters, like a piece of steak or something like that. Side of veggies, think green beans, corn, whatever is seasonal. 

THURSDAY

BREAKFAST: Scrambled eggs, with spinach and onions and a sprinkle of garlic salt. Side of sliced tomatoes. 

LUNCH: Shepherd pie, use the left over potatoes and meat from the night's prior meal. Place diced meat and veggies in bottum of tupperware and top with potatoes. Can be reheated at work in microwave. 

SNACK: fresh fruit, celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese. 

DINNER: Enchilada casserole with beans and rice on the side. Enchilada casserole is essential corn tortillas layered with cheese, onions and beans. Pour premade enchilada sauce, store bought or made ahead and frozen. Cook plain rice seasoned with salsa and heat up a can of beans. Serve with sour cream and avocado slices. 

FRIDAY

BREAKFAST: Fried eggs, pre-made hash browns, topped with katsup and side of fresh sliced avocado. 

LUNCH: Left over enchiladas. Top with fried egg or boiled egg sliced up. 

SNACK: Mixed nuts, dried fruit, fresh juices like carrot or a green mix.

DINNER: Cauliflower Mac and cheese with side salad. Also for the meat eaters add baked chicken.

Hope these suggestions help, of course there is always a can of soup and a salad if you are in a bind... healthy, happy eating to all!

xoxo- Iris

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

I recently uncovered a hidden love of cauliflower while preparing a carb free menu for a friend. Whipped cauliflower became a staple of my diet and shortly after I began reading about other uses of cauliflower in low carb and gluten free diets, for example cauliflower pizza crust. I have yet to try this but I have put it on my list of holiday recipes to try.

Last night I was making a very classic american style dinner for a friend and I made meatloaf and a green salad and in lieu of the mac and cheese I made cauliflower mac and cheese.

• 1 average size head of cauliflower
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
• pepper
• salt
• 1/2 cup parmesan 
• gluten free bread crumbs (I use Udi's gf bread ground in the food processor)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Boil cauliflower that has been separated into pieces in well salted water till tender. Drain and place into baking pan.

2.  Melt butter and half and half, set aside a tiny portion of the not hot half and half to mix the corn starch. 

3. Mix in the cheddar and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese and stir, after cheese had melted add corn starch that has been liquified by the half and half and stir. 

4. Season with pepper and salt. 

5. Toss cauliflower in cheesey sauce till coated.Sprinkle with gf bread crumbs and remaining parmesan.

6. Place pan in oven and bake till top bread crumbs are golden and crispy, about 10 minutes. 

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris